


Keep Your Anchor Close

by hazelNuts



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, No Hale Fire, background Eric/Boyd, background Isaac/Scott, high school!au, pining!derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-28
Updated: 2014-11-28
Packaged: 2018-02-27 07:51:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2685026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazelNuts/pseuds/hazelNuts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek likes Stiles. Probably a little more than he realized.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Your Anchor Close

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really bad at tagging. If you think I forgot any, please let me know in the comments.

‘You’re doing it again.’

‘What?’

‘You’re staring at Stiles. Just ask him out. Please? I don’t think I can take any more of your pining.’

Laura was a terrible sister and Derek was going to flash his eyes at her new boyfriend again. He was pretty sure he would have James running within a week.

~

‘If you don’t do it, I will.’

‘What?’ Derek jerks his head towards Isaac, who very rudely pulled him out of a daydream about Stiles. They were waiting for Erica and Boyd at their usual lunch table.

‘Ask Stiles if he likes you. Like _like_ likes you.’ Isaac threw in an eyebrow wiggle for emphasis.

‘If you do, I’ll tell Scott.’

‘No need, he asked me out this morning. And he’s going to be at the game next Friday.’

The smirk on Isaacs face told Derek that wasn’t all that happened between his friend and Scott that morning. Great, Derek thought, all of his friends were dating someone and he had an unrequited crush. It really wasn’t fair.

‘Why is Derek pouting?’ Erica asked when she and Boyd joined them.

‘He’s pining over Stiles.’

‘I’m not pining.’ He definitely wasn’t pouting, either.

Erica took a bite out of her apple and pointed her finger at him. Her nails were painted red and filed to points. Derek wondered if she had to have them registered as weapons.

‘Yes, you are. I still don’t get why you don’t just ask him out. He’s obviously into you.’

‘No, he wouldn’t date someone like me.’

Erica, Boyd and Isaac all stared him at him. If Derek wasn’t so annoyed by their poking, the looks on their faces would have been hilarious. Isaac and Boyd simply looked stunned, but Erica looked like his head had started floating away from his body.

‘He’s just so… hipster. With his glasses and those shirts. And the beanies. With that little tuft of hair that pokes out from under them at the front. He looks kinda skinny, but I bet he has lots of lean muscle-

Erica threw one of his carrots at him.

‘You were going to tell us what you meant with ‘a guy like me’.’

‘I meant a jock. And I don’t sound like that.’

‘You’re right. You’re voice is a higher pitch’, Erica said, taking another bite from her apple.

‘Stiles plays lacrosse’, Boyd said.

Derek sighed. Why couldn’t his friends just leave it alone. They were only making it more painfully clear that Stiles would never go for him.

‘Everyone knows he’s only on the team for Scott.’ Because Stiles was a great and selfless friend.

‘Can you just drop it? Please?’

Erica looked like she was about to say something more, but Boyd stopped her with a shake of his head.

‘You get permission to play yet?’ Boyd asked instead. Of Derek’s friends, Boyd was his favourite. He should find replacements for the others.

‘Not yet, but don’t worry about it. I’ll play.’

~

Derek wasn’t as sure as he’d sounded about Friday. It was the night of the full moon and so far, Derek hadn’t had much control on those nights. He was fine at home in his room, but the slightest distraction caused his eyes to flash or his fangs to drop. His mom said he simply needed to find an anchor and he would be fine.

The thing was that Derek was pretty sure he already had one. When he was alone in his room, thoughts of Stiles kept him calm. He usually just imagined Stiles holding his hand, but those imaginings weren’t easy to hold on to when with six, sometimes more, werewolves. All of them hyped up by the full moon.

So, Friday might be a problem. He couldn’t go, because he might wolf out in the middle of the court. On the other hand, they were playing Beacon Heights.

He sighed as he closed his locker. Maybe he could steal one of Stiles’ beanies. The smell might keep him grounded.

Wow, he was turning into a bonafide creeper.

There was also someone tapping his shoulder repeatedly. He turned around, ready to snarl at the person harassing his shoulder.

It was Stiles. Shit.

‘Dude, what’s with the scowly-brows? Did someone tell you to pluck them? FYI, you shouldn’t. I think they’re awesome. Also, can you move one feet to the left? I need my chemistry book.’

 Because the universe hated him, Stiles had his locker right next to Derek’s. And he always talked to Derek when they were there at the same time. It was more at him, really. Derek was usually too stunned to say anything back.

‘Don’t call me dude.’

And when he did he always sounded angry. He felt the very familiar urge to bang his head against the nearest hard surface rise up.

Stiles just rolled his eyes.

‘You say your name is Derek, but you never respond to it when I use it. You always respond to ‘dude’, though. Hey, is that your middle name?’

‘Yes. My full name is Derek ‘Dude’ Hale.’

Stiles stared at him for a second, then burst out laughing. Derek felt a little proud about that. Watching Stiles laugh was pretty amazing, but nothing could top the feeling of having been the cause.

Maybe his friends were right. Maybe-

Maybe the universe should find another teenager’s life to ruin, because right when Derek was about to ask if Stiles was going to be at the game, the bell rang.

He watched Stiles run off. There was a wave and a ‘See you later, Derek’, then his red beanie disappeared around the corner.

~

Derek should have stayed home. He should have stayed in his room or gone out running with the others. He shouldn’t be in the boys’ locker room, trying to get his heartbeat and breathing under control.

Derek had asked Peter to help him sneak out. He’d been sure his uncle would say no, or at least needed some persuading, but he’d simply looked Derek in the eye, shrugged his shoulders and said: ‘Sure.’

When Derek had arrived in the parking lot, he’d realized coming had been a big mistake. Unfortunately, before he could turn around and drive back home, Boyd had spotted him. They’d walked to the locker room and Derek had nearly doubled over when the sharp scent of adrenaline hit him. He knew it would be worse in the gym and he’d started racking his brain for an excuse to leave. All his brainpower however, had been rerouted to the task of staying in control.

Now, ten minutes before the game, Derek was sitting in the boys’ locker room with his head between his knees, and praying that no one would come in.

But gods didn’t listen to werewolves apparently, because he could hear footsteps two rows down. A growl escaped Derek’s throat, at the perceived invasion of territory.

‘Hello? Anyone in here?’

That was Stiles. Stiles could not find him like this.

He whined in distress.

Damn it. Why couldn’t he stay quiet?

Stiles stepped out from behind the lockers.

‘Derek? Is that you? What’s going on? Boyd send me down here to look for you.’

He felt fingers brushing his shoulder. His head shot up.

‘Oh my god’, Stiles whispered as he took a step back.

Derek knew what he had seen. Glowing, yellow eyes and his fangs were probably visible. He dropped his head back down, trying, and failing, to keep another whine from coming out.

‘Derek? Can you- can you talk?’

He nodded and heard Stiles take a small step forward.

‘What is happening to you?’

Derek sighed. It would probably be best to tell the truth. There was no way Stiles would leave without it.

‘The full moon.’

‘You’re a werewolf.’

He nodded.

‘And you’re trying to control it. Is that even possible?’

Derek was very suddenly reminded of why he liked Stiles so much. He was brilliant and curious. That was a little inconvenient now, though.

‘Yes, but you need an anchor. Something to keep you grounded.’

He felt the air next him move a little, when Stiles sat down. Derek looked up at him.

Stiles was staring at him. There was no fear or disgust in the other boy’s face, just wonder and curiosity. His heart was beating a little faster, but there was no hint of fear in his scent. Derek realized that Stiles felt completely safe with him. He felt his breath evening out a little.

‘Like what?’

‘It can be anything. An object, an emotion, a memory,’ Derek hesitated a little, ‘a person.’

‘You don’t have an anchor yet?’

Derek took a deep breath. He gently took one of Stiles’ hands in his own. The effect was immediate. His heart slowed down and his breaths became long and even. He could feel his fangs retracting. When he looked up at Stiles, his eyes were no longer glowing.

Stiles wasn’t looking back at him. He was looking at where Derek was holding his hand.

‘I’m your person,’ Stiles whispered. He shifted his hand little and for a moment Derek thought he was going to pull his hand back.

‘Awesome,’ Stiles said with a smile and linked their fingers together. It was an amazing smile, that lit up his entire face. Derek couldn’t help but smile back just as wide.

‘Yeah, you’re my person.’

**Author's Note:**

> I'm also on [tumblr](http://fandom-madnessess.tumblr.com/).


End file.
